


Always, Evermore

by shibabunny



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Sex, Light Angst, Romance, Song: Villains of Circumstance (Queens of the Stone Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28013667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shibabunny/pseuds/shibabunny
Summary: Before the final battle with Mithos, Kratos visits Anna’s grave one last time. He falls asleep and dreams about the significant moments in their time shared together, and ultimately comes to an agreement regarding the answer to a question she once asked that keeps haunting him. Manga/OVA canon where everyone lives to fight in the final battle.
Relationships: Anna/Kratos Aurion





	Always, Evermore

**Author's Note:**

> (Actual Publication Date: 12-11-20) I wrote this for Kranna Week 2019 Day 6, Prompt: Always/Forever
> 
> So, I guess this is the part where I should mention that I'm the chick who created/organized Kranna Week... This fic is over a year old now, and is still currently the longest one I've written, but I'm still pretty proud of how it turned out. It took me about four months to write this, and was inspired by one of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite bands. It was also heavily inspired by a flashback conversation in the TOS Drama CD, 'A long time ago', from the track, 'To Protect', or 'The Ones I Must Protect'. To this day I still hope that it's more of an original take on a songfic...

_“_ _Always together? Always_ _…_ _Always_ _…”_

It was a question that haunted him often, even when everything felt meaningless after her death; with his world having lost all its light and hope. A question in which he wasn’t sure if he agreed with the answer quite yet.

Kratos knelt before Anna’s grave for what would be the final time, explaining to her how strong Lloyd, their son, had become. He missed her terribly still, hoping that someday he could join her in the afterlife, but that day would not arrive anytime soon; which was another lesson Lloyd taught him after their one on one battle a few days before.

Noishe was curled up next to the gravestone, sleeping, and the protozoan’s presence gave him a fleeting sense of comfort from his current thoughts. Lloyd and the rest of the party had gone to bed hours ago, as it was around midnight, not aware that he was there. The next day, they would fight the final battle against Mithos, and he hoped they would allow him to join in one last time.

Averting his eyes from her name on the gravestone and bowing his head, Kratos began to reminisce about a time long ago when the three, and eventually the four of them would travel around as if they were the only ones. He thought about the time where the four of them camped out one night in the middle of an open field and looked at the stars. Lloyd was sitting on his shoulders and pointing at various constellations in the sky, wondering what the names of each one was. He then recalled a conversation they had a few days later as they watched Lloyd playing and running around with Noishe, giggling and smiling all the while. Kratos had asked her why he looked so happy, and her response was that he realized that the world was pure and beautiful, a wonderful place to live. She was right, or so he felt at the time, simply because the two of them were alive and gave him a reason to keep going. The conversation ended with Anna asking the question that kept haunting him.

_“_ _Always Together?_ _Always_ _…_ _Always_ _…”_

He let out a small sigh as his head and back slumped against the grave and closed his eyes. Another memory taking place shortly after they got married flashed before him. They were curled up by a campfire on a chilly night out in the desert, with her in his arms and wrapped in a worn-out blanket. She was starting to fall asleep against his chest when she mumbled the next few words.

_“_ _Forever mine_ _,_ _I’ll be forever yours_ _…”_

_He softly smiled and kissed the top of her head before leaning down to whisper in her ear and kiss her cheek_.

_“_ _Always_ _,_ _evermore_ _…”_

They were married in a covert location by a member of the Desian Resistance group they were in communication with, and those words were some of their wedding vows.

The following memory that appeared before him happened about year after the previous one. It took place following a night of intimacy on a cold night in November. They were inside an abandoned cabin with a fireplace and their own futon and blankets. The two were situated in front of the fireplace on the futon the next morning, with Kratos once again holding Anna in his arms. She leaned against his chest and looked up at him, giving him a wry but tired smile. He leaned down to whisper something to her.

_“_ _Forever mine_ _,_ _I’ll be forever yours_ _…”_

 _Her breath hitched and_ _she closed her eyes_ _,_ _letting out a blissful sigh as he kissed her neck before tracing a few scars along her shoulder with rough kisses_ _._ _Anna reached up to run her fingers through his auburn locks before responding_ _._

_“_ _Always_ _,_ _evermore_ _…”_

She had always thought she wouldn’t be able to have children due to her experience at the ranch and the frequent illness caused by her Exsphere. Destiny would later prove her wrong.

It was twilight when he jolted awake, unaware that he had fallen asleep. Lloyd and the others would be up in a few hours, and suddenly he felt a pain in his chest, as if something was missing. That something was her, and once again he felt himself missing her terribly, needing her. He closed his eyes once again, a tear beginning to trickle down one side of his face as he felt the spirit-like presence of her hands touching his face and lulling him into another dream, another memory. 

This next memory would take place a few days after Lloyd was born in a Desian Resistance group hideout just outside of Izoold. There were complications from the birth, causing Anna to become ill and requiring bed rest. Kratos was scared he was going to lose her again, just like a time before they were married where she became gravely ill.

_He rushed into the room_ , _and upon seeing that her eyes were open_ , _and that she was sitting up in bed_ , _frantically embraced her_.

_“_ _Kratos_ _…_ _?_ _”_

_She gave him a slightly worried look as his arms gently gripped her shoulders_.

_“_ _I thought I was going to lose you again_ _,”_ _He cleared his throat_ _,_ _referring to Lloyd_ _, “_ _That we were going to lose you_ _.”_

_“_ _Oh_ _,_ _Kratos_ _…”_ _She gave him that gentle but knowing smile that she had whenever he worried about her_ _._

_Anna cupped his cheek before leaning in to kiss him_ _,_ _hoping that would assuage some of his worry_ _._ _He reciprocated before letting out a sigh of relief_ _._ _She then softly held his face in her hands_ _,_ _her eyes boring into his as her visage turned serious_ _._

_“_ _Remember our wedding vows?_ _No matter what happens to me I will always be with you and Lloyd_ _._ _Forever mine_ _,_ _I_ _’_ _ll be forever yours_ _…”_

_Kratos gently placed his forehead against hers before replying_.

_“_ _Always_ _,_ _evermore_ _…”_

Her positivity and determination under difficult or trying circumstances was one of the many things he loved about her. His strength, gentleness, and resolve to protect, along with his willingness to atone for his wrongdoings, were just a few of the things she loved about him.

The final memory he would recall before waking would take place a few months after the previous one, when Lloyd was just a couple months old. A street artist in Palmacosta painted two small pictures of the three of them, which was Anna’s idea, though she wouldn’t tell him what she had planned for them. He wouldn’t understand until later what her plans were.

_“_ _Kratos_ _,_ _I_ _’_ _m going out for a while_ _._ _You don_ _’_ _t_ _mind taking care of Lloyd while I_ _’_ _m_ _gone?_ _”_

_Kratos_ _,_ _holding Lloyd_ _,_ _who was sound asleep_ _,_ _while sitting at the edge of their bed at the inn_ _,_ _looked up at her_ _,_ _his face stern and clearly worried_ _._

_“_ _Where are you going?_ _How long are you going to be gone?_ _”_

 _She gave him that gentle smile once again_ _,_ _noticing the worry written all over his face_ _._ _He had been like that since even before they were married_ _,_ _worried that something might happen to her when she was out in public and he wasn_ _’_ _t_ _there to protect her_ _._

 _“_ _I won_ _’_ _t_ _be gone very long_ _,_ _an hour at most_ _._ _There_ _’_ _s_ _just a little something I want to buy at one of the shops down the street from here_ _.”_

_He decided against inquiring further as she walked over and gave him a kiss on his forehead before leaning down to give Lloyd a kiss on his as well_ _._

_Then she left_ _,_ _leaving him to his own devices_ _,_ _and came back about an hour later just like she promised_ _._ _In her hand_ _she held a small box and walked over towards the small bedside table where the portraits had been placed_ _._ _He wordlessly watched her as she took out a gold pendant from the box and placed one of the portraits inside_ _._

_“_ _A locket?_ _”_ _He thought as his visage turned curious_ _._

_“_ _There_ _!”_ _She exclaimed as she held the locket towards him_ _. “_ _This is for you_ _!”_

_“_ _Me?_ _But why?_ _”_

_She sat down next to him on the side of their bed_ _,_ _unclasped the chain and placed it around his neck_ _._ _Later on_ _,_ _she would put the other portrait inside the other locket_ _,_ _which was for her to wear_ _._

_“_ _Well_ _,_ _I_ _thought that if anything happened to me and Lloyd_ _,_ _that you would have something tangible to remember us by_ _._ _A reminder that we_ _’_ _ll always be with you_ _,_ _no matter what_ _.”_

_Kratos was visibly moved by the surprise gift from her_ _._

_“_ _Forever mine_ _,_ _I_ _’_ _ll_ _be forever yours_ _…”_ _He murmured as he pulled her in for a kiss_ _._

_Anna kissed his cheek before responding_ _, “_ _Always_ _,_ _evermore_ _…”_

He woke up shortly after dawn, coming to the realization with that last dream that a part of her would always be with him, those memories would always be with him; and with Lloyd now in possession of the locket, a part of both of them would always be with him. He finally agreed with the answer to her question, the question that now no longer haunted him. She was right, no matter what, they would always be together.

_“_ _Always together?_ _Always_ _…_ _Always_ _…”_

Close your eyes

And dream me home

Forever mine, I’ll be forever yours

I’ll be forever yours

I’ll be forever yours

Always, evermore, and on and on

Always, evermore, and on and on

Always, evermore, and on and on

Always, evermore


End file.
